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la Leche league


odile
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Interesting and well done to La Leche. One thing I notice though is that the French do not get so worked up about Mums breastfeeding in public as the British do...and if you take a look at British society in general 'boobs' play a huge part in advertising, comedy shows and selling newspapers and magazines.

Yet the Brit's balk at a woman breastfeeding in McDonalds...!!

What on earth is wrong with them?

It is as if they have the attitude of: big boobies are funny (thanks Benny Hill); boobs are 'sexy' so long as they belong to Jordan...but put a baby anywhere near a nipple anywhere and everyone jumps up and down in rage!

Why[8-)]

 

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my daughter came from London to Leics a few days after baby was born, so I could look after them. Stopped on motorway service station where babyfeeding area was advertised. this turned out to be a toilet with a changing station. So we went to cafe area, where another babyfeeding station was advertised- it was a microwave! We found a little corner for her to feed- but the childrens area was next to smoking area. No screen, no nothing. I wrote to the chain- no reply! Shame. If there was a drug which could strengthen a babys immunity and help fight disease, and that would help young mums lose weight at the same time - everybody would want it on the NHS. We really need to support mums more.

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Personally Odile, I think all those people who object to the sight of a woman breastfeeding her baby need to get their minds out of the gutter - which is, lets face it,  where their minds are at. They associate a baby suckling with sexual connotations...that much is clear.

You hear this argument time and again - "feed the baby in the toilet if you want privacy". I know for myself that most public toilets, in my opinion, are never in a fit state for the purpose they are intended let alone for sitting and feeding a beautiful baby!! secondly; a feeding Mum would have no problem with privacy anywhere if people did not stare so much!

I visited the loo at Burger King in Barcelona (recently) - on La Rambla to be precise - and immediately left due to the stink and mess coming out of the badly neglected toilet cubicle...and yet we expect Mums to feed their babies in such an environment!!

I have eaten in restaurants, from highway cafe-class to 3 star Michelin - and have seen adults with appalling table manners and disgusting personal habits, and yet a baby feeding discreetly from it's mother breast is a social 'no-no'...?

One thing I have also noticed...those who object the most also stare the most[8-)]

You are so correct; Mums and babies deserve far more respect than they currently get.

 

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I have a feeling many people in France  don't mind seeing a mum breastfeeding her baby in a park, etc, but it is true that some  really do stare , and it is certainly embarassing..

IMO, it is due to the fact that in our modern societies, we have forgotten that we are mammals, .. there are many things linked to the body that one shouldn't mention or show..

Anyway, I hope  breastfeeding is more encouraged now than when I had my baby, cos it hurt me to breatfeed, ( when turning on the side in the bed ) as I had had a cesarian section, so after a few days they said " well you stop it then .." [blink]

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i had a ceasarian for first daughter, and I remember the pain when feeding at first, due to muscle contractions! I went home on day 3 ... and with husband working 120 hrs per week, 1 night in 2 away- it was hard, especially as I was new in a foreign country away from mum and family. Fortunately I had a very supportive husband (even if he was mostly away!), great neighbours and a brilliant health visitor. I do wish I had known about La Leche though- they work so hard to help, and all on a volunteer basis.

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Frenchie I have always found that it is other women who do most of the staring...for some reason they find it threatening, especially when accompanied by husbands/partners - who normally couldn't give a toss!

Breastfeeding at the off certainly is painful, very much so, but until you have learned how to get the baby latched on properly you just grit your teeth until you get used to it. No one ever tells you about the pain barrier which has to be worked through first!

In Australia we have the wonderful 'Nursing Mothers Association' - they run a 24 hour helpline and it does not matter what time of the day or night you pick the phone up there is someone there to answer your call and help you.

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  • 1 month later...

My mother advised me when I was expecting our first baby to scrub my nipples with a cold flannel every day whilst pregnant in order to 'toughen them up' ready for breast feeding - I must admit it certainly helped. I fed him for six months during which time we visited London on a day trip where I fed him in one of Harrods 'Ladies Rest Room' - whilst sitting in a corner in a very comfortable chair an elderly lady came up to me and said 'well done, dear, it is so nice to see a mother feeding her own baby in this day and age'! This was 1972[:)] 

Mind you I found that no-one warns you of the contraction pains you get when you first start to breast feed while the uterus shrinks back to normal size - I found that almost worse than the birthing pains![:'(]

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Both of my kids (both caesareans) were breast fed for 10-11 months each.  With the right choice of clothing and a good breast feeding bra (I found the ones with the zips were easier to use because you can undo and do them up with one hand unlike some clip ones) you can breast feed very discreetly anywhere, I fed them in all sorts of public places and no-one really noticed.

It is very painful for the first week, but persevere, it is the best thing I have ever done. It's hygenic, costs nothing, no faffing around with bottles, teats, sterilizers, tubs of powder, it's always just the right temperature and of course the health benefits to mother and baby goes without saying.

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True, but it depends on your circumstances.  I was fortunate to have been able to give up work when my first was born so I had the daytime to catch up on lost sleep where-as my husband was out at work from 7am to7pm in a stressful job.

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"The only thing was that at night, the dad said " he's hungry, he needs his mum !! " "

You mean he he woke up!! My OH used to sleep through the whole night feeds/nappy changing even though I had the bedside light on! But I do agree that as he was doing physical work all day I didn't mind as I could catch up when baby was asleep - usually after lunch. This also continued with the second baby as well, but with the third I went back to part-time night duty when he was six months old and as No 3 never went through the night (not crying, wanting to play at 3.00 am [:-))] until about 18 months old OH used to have to get up to him [:)]

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I'm not sure you'll believe me but my OH worked 120 hours /week in those days- and he was away 1 night in 2- so there wasn;t much choice.! By I agree with you Lileoise, I am so glad I did it. La Leche do a fantastic job of supporting mums.

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I read an interesting article in the Depeche , Gers edition. There is to be a public "feedin" with mothers and babies, in Gimont, to promote breastfeeding. Evidently fewer and fewer women are prepared to try it now. One reason given, it excludes fathers from the parent-child bond [blink]

I wonder if this would be allowed in the UK? Or considered in contravention of health and safety rules? The french seem to have a more pragmatic attitude to physical matters.

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I saw one on the regional FR3 news tonight, there were about 50 mothers gathered for a photo shoot at Lille to promote the national allaitement campaign.

Mind you some of the babies on the receiving end looked a bit old, one must have been at least 14 years old!

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  • 3 months later...

Any place other than a restaurant. I really don't fancy eating my meal and the lady opposite 'pops one out'. There's a time and place for everything and whilst the I approve of breastfeeding a bit of thought at times for others please.

The other side of course is that some ladies may want to go out for a meal and do breastfeed but are shy. I can understand that its not nice to have decent facilities where the mother can breastfeed their child. I therefore believe that restaurants should be given grants and perhaps other monetary encouragement to provide an area (for both feeding and nappy changing) where mothers can go and breast feed in comfort away from the gaze of others. They could then have a sticker to go on the door to say they have these facilities. It might do the owner a favour because mothers would know that the restro offers these facilities and they might get more trade.

Lets be clear, I only have a problem in restaurants. I do in general think that more and better facilities should be provided for nursing mothers. I also believe that breastfeeding is important, clinically I am lead to believe, it passe's on antibodies that help protect the child. So anything that can makes life easier for women is OK by me. Mind you its easy for me to say I'm a man [;-)] .

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